Before the arrival of the US troops the Germans for the most part succeeded in blowing up the bridges spanning the river Maas. In the next Then shot you can see the destroyed Wilhelmina bridge. This bridge was for the most part build from stone. That part was gone except for some damaged pillars. What you see in the background is the metal section that was also part of the bridge and was build to make it possible for more modern day shipping to pass the bridge.

correction. My friend was attempting to take the bridge over the Wilheimina canal. He was part of a famous bayonet charge. He was wounded by a mortar hit by Germans on a counter attack. After recovering he rejoined his unit in time for the Battle of the Bulge